Perspectives in Pteridophytes : Silver Jubilee Publication of Indian Fern Society (1983-2008)

Contents: Foreword. Preface. Scientific articles. I. Fossil ferns and fern allies: 1. Structure and preservation of Pholem is fossil pteridophytes from the Mesozoic of Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand, India/R. Harsh, O.P. Suthar and D.R. Bohra. 2. Validity of reconstruction of fossil ferns from the Mesozoic of Rajmahal Hills, India/O.P. Suthar, D.R. Bohra and R. Harsh. 3. Present status of the extinct pteridophytes from the Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand, India/B.D. Sharma and D.R. Bohra. II. Living ferns and fern allies: A. Systematics: taxonomy and distribution: 4. Miscellaneous notes on pteridophytes from China and neighbouring regions/X.C. Zhang. 5. Systematic study of crypsinus presl (polypodiaceae) in Eastern Asia/Xio Cheng. 6. Fern flora of vietnam/Su-Gong Wu and Jiang-Ying-Xiang. 7. Adiantum Philippense L: the correct name for A. Iunulatum Burm.f. and its subspecies/S.C. Verma and C.R. Fraser-Jenkins. 8. The pteridophytic wealth of Solan District, Himachal Pradesh, North Western Himalaya/S.P. Khullar, A. Baghla and Sunil Verma. B. Ecology, biodiversity and conservation: 9. Structure of fern community in the High Mountain Forest of Itatiaia National Park, Brazil/J.P.S. Condack and L. da S. Sylvestre. 10. Distribution and ecology of cyatheaceae in Yunnan, China/Z.J. Wang and X. Cheng. 11. The continuing role of morphology in the assessment of pteridophyte diversity/C.N. Page and I.I. Gureyeva. 12. Threatened fern species in the Japanese Archipelago/K. Iwatsuki. 13. Distribution and conservation of the low  land pteridophytes on the islands of SAO TOME and Principle (Gulf of Guinea, Africa)/E. Figueiredo and J.P. Roux. 14. Habitat study of Psilotum nudum (L.) P. Beauv. in Kumaun Himalaya/P.C. Pande and P. Verma. 15. Megaspores of Isoetes dixiteii shende: population diversity and its evolution/S.O. Wagai, G.K. Srivastava, P.K. Shukla and S.K. Shukla. 16. Conservation of endgangered ferns of Western Ghats through micro-propagation/M. Johnson, V.S. Manickam, A. Benniamin and V. Irudayaraj. 17. Phytogeographical analysis of pteridophytes from Western Ghats, South India/A. Benniamin and V.S. Manickam. 18. Threatened pteridophytes of India/C.R. Fraser-Jenkins. C. Morphology, phylogeny and evolution: 19. Types of mesophyll in fern fronds and variants/N.M. Derzhavina. 20. The fern genus pteridium in a trans Euro-Siberian perspective--a morphological synthesis/I.I. Gureyeva and C.N. Page. 21. Phylogeny and evolution of epiphyte in Davalliaceae/C. Tsutumi and M. Kato. 22. The biology of gemmiferous fern gametophytes/D.R. Farrar. 23.  Morphological relationships of submarginal and marginal sori/A. Scholch. 24. Marsileaceae and Salviniaceae--a critical comparison/W. Hagemann, E.R. De la Sota and R.P. Greissl. 25. Isoetes L. in Rajasthan/C.B. Gena and D. Gena. D. Structure, development and morphogenesis: 26. Diversity and distribution of medullary vascular strands in the rhizomes of ferns/S. Kaur, S. Chandra and A. Sachdeva. 27. Anatomy of ophioglossum polyphyllum--a Braun ex Seubert/R.Singh and B.D. Sharma. 29. Anatomy and reproduction biology of pteridophytes of Rajasthan some interesting observation/D.R. Bohra and B.D. Sharma. 29. Studies in the leaf epidermis and venation patterns of some Indian species of Tectarioid ferns/R. Banerjee and R. Mukhopathyay. 30. Sporangial ontogeny and spore dispersal of Elaphoglossum stelligelium/N. Punetha and B. Mehta. 31. Morphologenetic studies in pteridophytes: retrospects and prospects/H.K. Cheema. E. Cytology, cytogenetics and genetics: 32. Island ferns: inbreeding depression and genetic risk of extinction/T.A. Ranker, C.E.C. Gemmill, P.G. Trapp and E. Sheffield. 33. RAPD profile diversity amongst two polyploid accessions of pteris vittata L./J. Srivastava and S.A. Ranade. 34. Recurrent variations in natural populations indicating genomic involvement: 1. Ophioglossum L. and 2. Psilotum Swartz/H.K. Goswami. III. Pharmacology and biotic interactions: 35. Status of the fern toxin, ptaquilopside in Indian Bracken India/R. Somvanshi, D.R. Lauren, B.L. Smith, R.K. Dwara, O.P. Sharma, R. Ravisanker and V. Singh. 36. Experimental clinico-pathological studies on BPV fern interaction in Hamsters/G.D. Leishangthem, R. Somcanshi and G.S. Bisht. 37. Fern coccid interaction from Darjeeling Himalaya, West Bengal, India and its bearing on their co-evolution/B. Patra and S. Bera. 38. VAM Association in some ferns of Rajasthan, Western India/D.R. Bohra and S. Sharma. 39. Phytoremediation potential of Azolla in relation to heavy metals--a review/Singh A., Kumar B., Pabbi S. and Kapoor M. Author Index. Index to botanical name.

"Perspectives in Pteridophytes is the Silver Jubliee Publication of the Indian Fern Society which was established in 1983 and is completing 25 years of its existence in 2008. Incidentally in this very year falls the 80th birthday (28th August, 1929) of Prof. Sarmukh Singh Bir, the founder of Indian Fern Society who as Secretary-Treasurer guided its affairs and steered its growth to its present status of worldwide acceptance. To him, this volume is dedicated in recognition of his outstanding research contributions to the Indian Pteridology as well as in expression of gratitude of the Indian Pteridologists for his efforts in the publication and establishment of Indian Fern Journal as its editor.

There are in all 39 contributed papers, from India and abroad, making up \'Perspectives in Pteridophytes\' which cover the entire spectrum of pteridology. We believe these contributions will be of interest to researchers and teachers of honours and post-graduate classes. For convenience, the 39 papers are grouped into three sections. Section 1 comprising 3 papers concerns Fossil Ferns and Allies. Section II concerning the living Ferns and Fern Allies is sub-divided into 5 subsections, A.E. Subsection A: contains 5 papers under systematics, Taxonomy and distribution. Subsection B: contains 10 papers under ecology, biodiversity and conservation. Subsection C: contains 7 papers under morphology, phylogeny and evolution,  Subsection D: contains 6 papers under structure, development and morphogenesis. Subsection E: contains 3 papers under cytology, cytogenetics and genetics. Section III contains 5 papers under Pharmacology and Biotic interactions. The volume is preceded by a \'Preface\' aimed principally at highlighting the utility of taking up research on pteridophytes, a group of vascular land plants of great antiquity, which promises to answer questions of wider relevance and also to explore them as economically viable medicinal wealth." (jacket)